Take Me to Paris
by Lilian Swan
Summary: That Sunday night after the Saturday that seemed to change each of their lives. "I wish I were on a plane to France." - Claire


The Breakfast Club

Katya Nechayeva

Saturday. It was a funny thing, how just one day can completely turn a person's life around. None of them had expected it, none of them had gone into this detention imagining what was to come out of it. But, what's done was done, and so they found themselves drifting in depths of confusion and hidden truths that had seemed so improbable to them just days before.

For Claire, that truth was John Bender.

There was something about him, something so intriguing that had caught her eye from the moment he first called her 'Cherry'. Throughout those fateful eight hours, she would grow to hate him, loath him, and genuinely adore him all at once. It was true, he had made her cry, but he had also opened her eyes to something she had thought forever gone. He listened. He listened and stared at her with his chestnut brown eyes in a way that she had almost forgotten about. He saw something in her that her parent's had begun to ignore. And he challenged her. He made her question herself, which was something the Prom Queen did not get to often.

And now here she lay. A Sunday evening flopped onto her bed both dreading and anticipating the day ahead. It scared her, for really, what would change? She had said it herself; they'd all just go on ignoring each other like nothing had happened. It was silly to think that things would be different. But, oh, how she wanted it to. The Breakfast Club, as they had begun to call themselves, was a group Claire felt most comfortable around. Most like herself. And this was something she hadn't felt in a long time since her days at Sherman High School had first started.

It was all this, combusted in a cloud of thoughts, that picked at Claire's brain and had her flopped on the magenta mattress with her fiery hair laid out around her. So lost in thought was she that she almost didn't notice the first thud of a pebble when it hit at her bedroom window.

Frowning, she sat up and looked toward it, until another rock shortly followed after the first.

Nearing the window, she propped it open and walked out to the balcony and into the evening sky only to find a boy with long brown hair and a rugged appearance staring up at her.

"John," She fought the smile that tugged at her lips.

"And a good evening to you, Princess," His chocolate eyes twinkled in the night.

"What are you doing here?" She laughed, to overcome with a sudden giddiness to even bother to ask how he had found her house.

"Me?" He made a face, "Well I guess Romeo's come looking for his Juliet."

"Has he now?" She leaned forward, filling him with a feeling he wasn't so used to, but he wouldn't have called unpleasant either.

There was a moment of silence that followed as the two took in the scene. This was crazy; Claire thought to herself, what in the world was she doing? Never in a million years would she have imagined herself leaning over a balcony and talking to John Bender. And enjoying it, to say the very least.

"Sneak out with me, Cherry," He broke the silence, his voice soft amidst the sound of crickets chirping.

"What? John, no…I can't. It's late, and school's tomorrow, and-"

"So?"

His words cut her off, "What do you mean, 'so'? I can't John, look, I really want to, but..."

"Remember what you said yesterday in the library? About you wanting to go on that plane and going to France?

"What about it?"

"Well, let's go."

"To France?" Claire laughed, "Don't be silly, how would we ever do that?"

"Well why don't you just take my hand and find out."

And so that was how Claire found herself gripping his hand and watching herself be lowered down towards the ground before her. Inches before her heels hit the ground, she felt John stumble and begin to trip towards the ground.

"Shit, John!" She felt herself begin to fall as she landed right on top of him, her face-inches away from his.

"Woah there, Sweets," He cracked that coy smile she had spent those earlier hours reminiscing; "you just can't get enough of me, can you?"

"Pig," She rolled her eyes and hit him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry," He whispered lightly in her ear as they stood up, "You've got a lot more of that to look forward to."

She wiped the dirt off her skirt and unwillingly felt her cheeks turn pink.

"So, Paris," She chose to ignore the comment and instead changed the subject.

"That's where we're headed." He replied, the same grin still on his face.

"And how do we plan on getting there?" She smirked, choosing to play along.

At that he offered no response but simply grabbed her hand and she was forced to follow him along.

They walked for a bit, until at last they found a green truck parked a few yards from Claire's house.

"This would be our ride," He broke their grip and approached the vehicle. It was old, it's signs of age obvious, but still in working condition. Either way, it provided transportation, and that was what John needed.

"It yours?" Claire asked as he opened the passenger door and held it for her.

"I suppose you could say it is." He replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's my Old Man's."

"Ah," She decided to leave it at that. Talking about him in front of John made her nervous, for she could clearly remember how Andy's words about John's father had affected him.

Buckling in, John turned up the radio a bit and they sat in silence with just the sound of the music between them. It wasn't awkward though, rather, the two spent it adjusting to the idea that they were finally sitting comfortably in one another's presence. Relaxing, it almost seemed.

Finally, they pulled up in front of a lit-up building with the words "Chicago Cinemas" written across it. These words, glowing in red light, where surrounded by a popcorn and soda also completely made up of lights. Several movie posters were hung throughout the exterior of the building. Right under the sign hung a billboard that read "Special Showing 9:30 Tonight – Golden Globe Nominated - Paris at Night!"

Claire felt her face light up as she figured out what he had been planning, "A movie date, eh? I didn't expect John Bender to be the type to take girls to movies," She teased.

"Shut up," This time he felt his face redden, "I make certain exceptions," He muttered just as she was getting out the car. He didn't know what it was about her, all in all she was everything he hated, but sugarcoating it all was his giant urge to want to be around her- to touch her, to be a part of her life.

Walking into the theater, he paid his way for her, and the two made their way to the counters of movie theater snacks that lay before them. They ordered popcorn, two sodas, and soon afterwards were finally making their way toward the room where the movie was to take place.

Scooting in two seats, they adjusted and waited for the movie to start.

As the opening credits rolled on and the movie began, John scooted towards his left and began to gently play with Claire's ginger hair. Slowly, his fingers lingered a bit until they were brushing against her face.

Letting out a small little giggle, she turned her head towards him until they were practically at breathing distance from one another.

"You know, Claire Standish, I really like you," His voice, a whisper, brushed against her skin and made her shiver with a sense of excitement.

"So, I'm not just one those girls that you'd simply 'consider''? Her voice, light, murmured back at him.

"Mm, no. More than that." The words he was saying didn't seem his own anymore, almost as if all he had been keeping inside of him was letting loose and he had no control over it.

"Am I just one of your girlfriends then?" She leaned forward, this time to the point where their noses were touching.

"No, not just a girlfriend," He cut her off, not believing himself for saying it but knowing it was the truth, "I really like you, Claire."

"I really like you too," She smiled.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She kissed him.

* * *

**~*~Author's Note~*~**

So, I watched The Breakfast Club for the first time on Tuesday and what can I say? I'm obsessed. Since then, I watched it again on Wednesday, and then on Friday. Thursday was spent reading ClairexBender fanfictions. And boy, it feels weird calling him just John. Anyhow, this was sooo much fun to write and I really hope everyone enjoys it! I haven't written in awhile, and it felt so good to be writing this. It's an amazing movie. It really is.


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